(Tempe, Arizona) Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) & Health Sciences team opened the new Neil Riordan Center for Regenerative Medicine in November 2018. This affiliation between SCNM and Neil H. Riordan, P.A., Ph.D., a research leader in stem cell therapy, accelerates the development of this safe and innovative option for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. The Neil Riordan Center for Regenerative Medicine is staffed by an interdisciplinary team of physicians, and housed in SCNM’s LEED Platinum certified Community Commons.

Regenerative medicine, particularly autologous stem cell therapy, utilizes a patient’s own stem cells to promote healing, reduce inflammation and stimulate tissue repair. People with acute and chronic pain, including elite athletes, may benefit from the growth factors, natural anti-inflammatory activity, and regenerative properties of autologous stem cell therapy.

Over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain at an annual cost estimated at exceeding $620 billion, the many of whom are currently treated using opioids. This has led to wide-spread abuse and addiction to prescription opioids and illicit drugs including heroin. Opioid addiction and abuse has been attributed to 37,000 deaths each year nationally and 1,763 deaths of Arizonans from opioid overdoses in the past fifteen months. Stem cell therapy promises to limit the reliance on opioids thereby decreasing the potential for opioid addiction and abuse.

Riordan is a pioneer in the field of applied stem cell research. In addition to collaboration with major universities in the United States, research and patient care is currently being conducted at Riordan’s other laboratories and clinics in Dallas, Texas and Panama City, Panama. He is an author on more than seventy peer-reviewed research publications, including clinical studies that explore stem cell therapy’s potential in treating conditions such as autism, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Riordan is the author of two books on stem cell therapy: Stem Cell Therapy: A Rising Tide – How Stem Cells are Disrupting Medicine and Changing Lives and MSC (Mesenchymal Stem Cells): Clinical Evidence Leading Medicine’s Next Frontier.

A leader in inspiring, teaching and providing multiple modalities in the scope of naturopathic medicine, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine not only educates but also elevates society’s awareness of the power of holistic medicine. Campus highlights include a fully accredited four-year naturopathic doctoral program, a robust medical clinic open to the public, a dedicated pain relief and regenerative medicine center, innovative and inspirational public events, an on-site medicinary and multiple opportunities for ground-breaking research. Additionally, the SCNM Sage Foundation highlights the focus on philanthropy instilled in students and faculty as they provide care for underserved communities in seven satellite locations. Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine is dedicated to the idea that every person deserves high-quality fully integrated healthcare and creates an impact on the world through providing a private non-profit education in the culturally rich state of Arizona.

Please contact Kirsten Texler at k.texler@scnm.edu for more information about Southwest College.

For more information on stem cell therapy, visit the Stem Cell Institute website.